To turn off the green dot on Facebook mobile, you must disable Active Status in both the Facebook app and the Messenger app. The green dot is controlled entirely by this setting, and turning it off in only one app will not fully hide your online presence.
How to turn off the green dot on Facebook mobile
The green dot on Facebook and Messenger indicates that you are active or recently active. The only documented way to remove it is to turn off Active Status in your settings. This must be done separately in each app you use to ensure the dot is hidden everywhere. Logging out of the Facebook mobile app is not a documented method to turn off the green dot. Disabling Facebook Messenger itself is not a documented method to turn off the green dot. There is no separate mobile setting called Chat Availability for hiding the green dot; the documented control is Active Status.
Steps to disable Active Status in the Facebook app
- Open the Facebook mobile app.
- Tap the Messenger icon in the top right corner.
- Tap Options next to Chats.
- Tap Active Status: ON/OFF.
- Toggle the switch next to Active Status to turn it off.
- Tap Save.
Once saved, your green dot will no longer appear in the Facebook app. However, this change does not affect your status in the standalone Messenger app.
Steps to disable Active Status in the Messenger app
Facebook’s help pages state that the same Active Status control applies in Messenger. To fully hide the green dot, you must repeat the process in the separate Messenger app. If you do not want to show active status, you must turn it off wherever you are using Messenger or Facebook.
- Open the Messenger app.
- Tap your profile picture or the Settings icon.
- Tap Active Status.
- Toggle the switch to turn it off.
- Tap Save.
If you use both Facebook and Messenger, you must turn off Active Status in both places. Otherwise, you may still appear active in the app where the setting remains on.
Important limitations to know
Active Status shows to people you are connected to on Facebook and Messenger, and to people you have sent friend requests to. Even after turning off the green dot in one app, you may still show as active in another app unless you turn it off there too. This is a cross-app limitation that Facebook explicitly documents.
On some iPhone app versions, the Active Status feature may not be available. One Facebook help page specifically states that the feature is not available on the iPhone app, and no separate iPhone-only path is documented in the retrieved help pages. One Facebook help page specifically says 'This feature isn't available on the iPhone app' for a Messenger Active Status help page.
Turning off Active Status does not affect your ability to send or receive messages. You simply will not appear as active or recently active to others. For those concerned about Facebook privacy and notifications, this setting gives you control over when others see your online presence without requiring you to log out or disable the app entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off Active Status hide the green dot everywhere?
No. Facebook says you may still appear active in another app unless Active Status is also turned off there. If you use both Facebook and Messenger, you must disable the setting in each app separately.
Who can see my Active Status?
Your connections on Facebook and Messenger, as well as people you have sent friend requests to, can see your Active Status. Turning it off hides the green dot from all of them.
What if I don’t see the green dot next to someone?
That usually means they have turned off Active Status in their settings. It does not necessarily mean they are offline or not using the app.
Is there a separate iPhone setting in the retrieved help pages?
No. The same Active Status toggle applies on both platforms where the feature is available.
For the wider topic, see Facebook privacy and notifications.
